Part 1 (1/2)
The Three Adston
CHAPTER ONE
THE DRAGON OFF THE BONINS--A CONVERSATION BETWEEN TOM ROGERS AND ARCHIE GORDON--GERALD DESMOND ON THE SICK-LIST--THREATENINGS OF A TYPHOON--IT STRIKES THE shi+P--SHE RUNS BEFORE IT--THE shi+P HOVE TO--THE BOWSPRIT CARRIED AWAY--A MARINE WILL-O'-THE-WISP--ENTER A BAY IN ONE OF THE BONIN ISLANDS--TOM, GERALD, AND BILLY GET LEAVE TO VISIT THE Shore--A BEAUTIFUL CAVERN--LAND ON THE ISLAND--THEIR DISCOVERIES--FIshi+NG-- INTERRUPTED BY SHARKS--A PICNIC--BOAT DRIFTS AWAY FROM THE Shore--TOM SWIMS OFF--NARROW ESCAPE FROM A SHARK--SEE THE shi+P IN THE OFFING--PULL AFTER HER--A HURRICANE COMING ON--FEARFUL DANGER WHEN RE-ENTERING THE HARBOUR
Her Majesty's corvette _Dragon_, lately coers, who had been superseded by Coe across the wide Pacific, bound for Esquimault harbour, Vancouver's Island, from japan, to which she had been sent with despatches
The wind being fair, the screas at rest, and she was under all sail, looking as trim and taunt a little man-of-war as a sailor's heart could desire Her stay in japan had been short, so that no leave had been granted, and even the officers had seen little of the country and people; though, as they hoped to return before long, that did not on_ should soon get back to Vancouver's Island, Commander Rawson had received directions to visit the Ladrone Islands, somewhat to the southward of his course, in order to obtain particulars of an outrage, said to have been corel inhabitants of those islands, which have for soed to Spain
The shtly in the rays of the sun, undis of sea fowl could be seen, now dipping towards the ocean, now rising into the blue ether, showing that land was at no great distance As the as froh the shady side of the shi+p was generally sought for by the watch on deck, except by a fehose heads seemed impervious to the hot rays of a tropical sun
Twothe port side of the quarter-deck, where a few feet of shade afforded them shelter from the heat The one, a somewhat short, well-knit lad, with open countenance, well tanned, and blue laughing eyes, his whole appearance giving proth and activity; the other, a tall youth with sandy hair, and pleasant features well freckled Though tall, he was too well built to be called lanky, and showed that he possessed both strength and activity
”I say, Archie, I do envy those fellows of the _Eolus_ going on to China; they will see all sorts of fun, for the Celestials are sure not to give in in a hurry The _Eoluses_ will have the same sort of work that h in the last Chinese hen they were est brother of Captain Jack Rogers; his companion was Archie Gordon, Captain Alick Murray's cousin
”Gerald was dreadfully cut up at not being able to re instead to come back with us to return home; but Captain Adair's letter was peremptory, and, as the newspapers say, I hope that he will hear of soe Gerald would have been better pleased had his uncle let hireat cause to co that the climate of China is none of theshot into the bargain,” observed Archie ”I wish that I had the chance of going ho myself the possessor of a tidy fortune with a title”
”But then there's the honour and glory, and the fun, and the pig-tails to be captured, and the loot, and the chance of serving in a naval brigade and seeing some work on shore, just as the _Shannon's_ people did in India, with a fair prospect of promotion at the end of it”
”If a body happens not to be shot, ye ken,” observed Archie, who, though every bit as eager as Tom for the sort of work he described, took a pleasure in differing in opinion from him whenever he could
”We will not, however, bother poor Desain,” said Toh he was happy enough to be with us once more”
”He is much better to-day,” remarked Archie, ”and I hope by to-ain, although he may not be fit for duty for a day or two more”
Mr Mildmay, the first lieutenant, as officer of the watch, paced the deck, spyglass in hand, now and then going on to the bridge and sweeping the horizon with his glass, while he frequently called to the look-outs on the forecastle and fore-yardarm to keep their eyes open
Jos Green, thethe chart in his cabin, for that part of the ocean was coht exist, not marked down
”The first lieutenant and the ety,” remarked Tom
”So would we be, I suspect, if the responsibility of navigating the shi+p rested with us,” answered Archie ”After all, no one suffers by being sufficiently careful; that's the rule ave ood rule it is, too, no doubt about that,” observed Tom
”My brother Jack is as careful of his shi+p, and everything connected with her, as an old lady is of her best silk gown on a Sunday h any one, to hear him talk, would suppose that he was thehis old shi+ph in reality I was very glad to hear that he got his post rank at the same time as my brother Jack did; and now the three old ht to call themselves, are post-captains, and will some day, I hope, be admirals
I wish, however, that they had not to wait so long Your grave cousin Murray is as fit to be an admiral now as he will be twenty years hence, and, unless not a few fine fellows die off, it will take the best part of that tieh,” observed Archie; ”for if they have all been posted without any great aet proood conduct”